Smartphone pinky, text claw, and other injuries caused by excessive phone use
Cell phone elbow
Holding mobile phones up to the ear, or holding it up while lying in bed for a long period can cause discomfort, pain, and tingling in the forearm and little finger. Nicknamed “cell phone elbow,” this condition is known clinically ascubital tunnel syndromeand is caused by your shoulder rubbing against the ulnar nerve. This is one of the arm’s major nerves, and is the same nerve you whack when you hit your “funny bone.”
Normally, this nerve stretches up to5mm in lengthwhen we bend our elbow to maintain function. But prolonged bending puts pressure on the nerve and cuts off blood supply to it. Studies have shown cell phone use places a69% increasein strain on the ulnar nerve.
It has also been shown that a shortsix-minute periodof assuming the phone call posture – with the elbow continually bent to hold the phone up to your ear – can significantly reduce the speed at which the nervous impulse courses along this nerve. This impacts a person’s ability to get sensory information to the brain, and makes reflexive movements slower.
“Cell phone elbow” now ranks as thesecond most commonupper limb nerve injury after carpal tunnel syndrome. Pain and tingling in the hand is the most common symptom and is easily remedied by changing position. But longer-term problems can cause muscles supplied by the ulnar nerve to waste away.
[Read:How to break up with your phone, explained by a phone addiction researcher]
Text claw
Thumbandwrist painassociated withsmartphone useare also common. Often referred to as “text claw,” the repetitive strain injury is caused by the constant bending and small repetitive movements of the thumb against the screen. This appears reversible with reduced use but its prevalence is not known.
As such, research suggests holding phoneswith two handsis preferential, as it shares the workload between hands and reduces the likelihood of permanent changes.
Not all changes are completely bad though.One study showedsmartphone users had increased sensitivity from prolonged use, particularly in the thumb, that was was detected in the brain, suggesting adaptation of the brain to increased use, which is typically seen in musicians or elite athletes. This may result in better reaction time and ability to detect subtle changes with those fingers.
Neck and breathing
Prolonged smartphone use also changes theposition of the headon the neck the longer a person spendsstaring down at a screen. This results in neck pain and poorer posture. These posture changes also affect thescapula(shoulder blade), which changes its resting position and increases strain on the muscles attached to it. This is especially problematic, given many of these muscles are essential for arm movement.
But more concerning is the fact that research shows these postural changes from theway we sitwhile using our devices have a detrimental change on lung function,reducingtheirpeak expiratory flow(the volume of air you can expel in a breath), which indicates how obstructed the airways are. Over time, these changes can reduce the body’s respiratory function, decreasing the amount of air you can inhale and exhale, and increasing heart rate in order to ensure the body has all the oxygen it needs. Significant declines in lung function have even beenseen in children, suggesting earlier access to, and increasing use of, smartphones may cause detrimental postural changes at an early age.
Limiting screen time and ensuring proper posture while using your phone can mitigate damage.
Addiction
Of course, there are also mental and social impacts of excessive smartphone use – including smartphone addiction, whichis becominganincreasinglycommonproblemglobally.
Smartphone use triggers many of the signaling pathways in the brain linked to reward and feeling good, such as releasingdopamine. This can cause us to become reliant on our phones and use them more frequently to continue achieving this dopamine rush. Symptoms of smartphone addiction include interrupted sleep, trouble completing tasks, becoming isolated from people, and concealing phone use. Excessive, problematic use can also causenomophobia– the fear of being without a mobile phone. This results in anxiety when without your phone, sweating, agitation, and trembling.
Many injuries from smartphones or other mobile devices show remarkable overlap with some other technology-induced pains and strains associated with overuse – such astenosynovitis, (caused by excessive text messaging),Wiiitis(shoulder pains in the absence of physical exercise), andNintendinitiswhich is similar to the repetitive thumb strain from excessive smartphone use.
But regardless of the type of technology you use, it is the prolonged use of devices that can cause body adaptations.
This article is republished fromThe ConversationbyAdam Taylor, Professor and Director of the Clinical Anatomy Learning Centre,Lancaster Universityunder a Creative Commons license. Read theoriginal article.
Story byThe Conversation
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